Chapter 31
As he continues his investigation to the wolverine and dentures he goes to a wolverine farm of some sort and the owner tells him no, you cannot use their teeth because they're too mean but when he did work at a zoo someone was feeding a certain one and in the summer of '42 stole him. Going to an taxidermist they tell him no ones does wolverine teeth and most of their employees are women but they have hired from the local high schools on occasion. While all the referrals were Mexican and Japanese he figures he could've been someone no one remembered. Figuring him as a local kid and Goines' burned face burglary accomplice in '43 and '44 he goes to Ramparts Station to go through their files, looking for suspects that match burglaries from that time period in the Bunker Hill area. Finding 11 unsolved cases he remembers that there were cases in the San Fernando Valley as well. Going there he discovers names of possible burglars who were breaking curfew during the war and comes up with among others a Coleman Massike. Noticing the burglaries went from may to August of '42, the day before the Sleepy Lagoon murder he goes to question Juan Duarte. While there is some initial resistance due to his decoy activity eventually Duarte tells him that he went to see Hartshorn after Augie's murder due to his involvement with Sleepy Lagoon and that Hartshorn spoke with a Detective Breuning who came to see him. He also tells Danny that Loftis had a brother whose face was bandaged up but after they came off he was good looking and young 18-19, better than Loftis. Also that he showed up around the time of the SLDC and bragged about how he saw a big white man kill Jose Diaz. The Mexicans right him off as just wanting to get in their good graces. When they confront him and say why are you running from him he says he has special protection. Danny almost has it but can't fit the missing piece of how se inspired him to do it. Going back home he no sooner goes towards the elevator than he is attacked and hauled in by two policeman who take him to be question by Chief Thad Green who questions him regarding Niles. In the ensuing chaos Green asks him about the queer remark to which Danny lies. Getting upset Green says he'll need to come into work tomorrow to do a polygraph test. On his way out he runs into Dudley says only Gorden is a good a judge of character and commends him on his intelligence for figuring out his involvement with Hartshorn's death and Diaz's. Telling him the test would reveal his homosexuality and everyone would know he goes home and tear his place apart when he doesn't find his files. Taking out his gun he prepares to kill himself but thinks what the police will say. Going over to get a shard of glass, but not before seeing Dudley, and slits his throat from ear to ear. Category:Chapters in The Big Nowhere